The District’s policy of students’ and parents’/guardians’ privacy rights to academic records complies with Student Record Regulations under the authority of MGL Chapters 71, 71B, and 76.

Parents/guardians may have access to the student record. Access shall be provided as soon as practicable and within ten (10) days after the initial request, except in the case of non-custodial parents. Upon request for access, the entire student record shall be made available.

A non-custodial parent is eligible to obtain access to the student record unless the district has been provided with documentation indicating that:

• The parent has been denied legal custody or has been ordered to supervised visitation, based on a threat to the safety of the student and the threat is specifically noted in the order pertaining to custody or supervised visitation, or
  
  
• The parent has been denied visitation, or
  
  
• The parent’s access to the student has been restricted by a temporary or permanent protective order, unless the protective order (or any subsequent order modifying the protective order) specifically allows access to the information contained in the student record, or
  
  
• There is an order of a probate and family court judge which prohibits the distribution of student records to the parent.

The school shall place in the student’s record documents indicating that a non-custodial parent’s access to the student’s record is limited or restricted.

In order to obtain access, the non-custodial parent must submit a written request for the student record to the Principal.

• Upon receipt of the request, the school must immediately notify the custodial parent by certified and first class mail, in English and the primary language of the custodial parent, that it will provide the non-custodial parent with access after twenty-one (21) days, unless the custodial parent provides the Principal with documentation that the non-custodial parent is not eligible to obtain access.

The school must delete all electronic and postal address and telephone number information relating to either work or home locations of the custodial parent from student records provided to non-custodial parents. In addition, such records must be marked to indicate that they shall not be used to enroll the student in another school.

Upon receipt of a court order that prohibits the distribution of information pursuant to MGL c. 71, §34H, the school shall notify the non-custodial parent that it shall cease to provide access to the student record to the non-custodial parent.